A penny for your thoughts?
by Yhoretta
Summary: It's Jo Grant's birthday! Captain Yates, Sergeant Benton and the Brigadier are all in on a secret plan to throw her a surprise party. Unfortunately the Doctor had no idea, and now he has to get her a present. Only with the help of a lucky penny can he make his assistant's birthday wish come true!


"Alright, in here boys!" yelled Captain Yates. He trundled into the Doctor's lab carrying a box that was literally overflowing with streamers. Sergeant Benton followed suit with a bag full of party hats and some blown-up balloons trailing along from his free hand. Other soldiers crowded into the room and began decorating the walls. One even placed a decorated cake on the far table.

"What's going on here? What are you doing to my laboratory?" asked the Doctor, pushing his chair away from his desk and pushing away the circuit he had been tinkering with.

"We're setting up a party," explained Benton, putting a colourful hat over his U.N.I.T beret, "Jo Grant's birthday party."

"It's her birthday? Today?"

"Yes of course. Didn't you know?"

The Doctor hid his guilt with an air of nonchalance. He waved off the question and snatched up his circuit, leaving the room in an apparent huff. Captain Yates began to follow the old man, making it to the door before Sergeant Benton had his arm in a tight grip.

"Just let him go," he said, "the Doctor will think of something."

Mike nodded, shaking himself out of the hold and watching as the Time Lord turned out of his vision in a wave of green velvet.

_What do I get her? Judging by those men using my laboratory as a party room I don't have a lot of time. Why set up in a place she visits often if you weren't going to have it soon? Perhaps I can just show her a new planet...drat, still exiled..._

The Doctor hit the side of his head. Hard. A uniformed officer stepped around him cautiously in the halls, not wanting to get involved with such a clearly delusional man. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart walked briskly past the Doctor with Jo Grant in tow. He winked at the TIme Lord as if to say: _Yes, I'm the distraction. Get your affairs in order. Quickly._

"Oh, hello Doctor. The Brigadier's just going to show me some old pictures from when U.N.I.T was first formed, then I'll be right back to the lab," promised Miss Grant, tugging at the collar of her pink dress.

"That's quite alright Jo. Take all the time you need," he replied, earning a slightly hurt look from his assistant. She sighed and continued to follow the Brigadier, thinking that she was all but forgotten. The Doctor slipped away, into the storage garage outside that held Bessie. Good old Bessie. He stroked his hand over her yellow paint, drawing inspiration from the old car. The constant chugging of her engine was both soothing and familiar to the ear. Suddenly a flash of copper caught his eye.

"A penny?" asked the Doctor, curling his fingers around the small coin. Bessie's engine snorted a little but she didn't respond, not that he was hoping she would, or anything...

"You're right old girl," he said despite this. "Perhaps now I can find out what to give her."

oOOOOOOOOOoooOOooo

"Jo, Brigadier, wait up!" exclaimed the Time Lord, pulling up in front of them in the hallway.

"Oh, hello Doctor. We were just on our way to the laboratory. The Brigadier has something else to show me. You can come along if you'd like, if you're not too busy. Then again I suppose since we're going to the lab-"

The Doctor waved his hand, silencing her babbling speech. He shooed Lethbridge-Stewart with a wink and held up the penny.

"Hey, why did the Brig just leave?" asked Jo. She spun back to her friend and finally noticed the copper in his outstretched hand.

"For me? Thanks I suppose."

The Doctor nodded and gestured to the coin.

"A penny for your thoughts," he affirmed. Jo's face lit up like a sunset against her golden hair. The smile was warm and genuine, splashed with traces of excitement.

"You're really going to listen to me?" she inquired. The Doctor returned her smile and sat down in the hall, motioning for her to do the same. Jo Grant plopped down beside him and twiddled the penny in her fingers. She began by telling him how her back was hurting from sleeping on it badly the night before. Then how she was thinking of adopting a rescue kitten, possibly naming it Mike. Her thoughts continued for what felt like hours. Good hours. The kind that you can only wish will never end. The Doctor listened to her babbling voice. Half the rubbish that came out of her mouth was just generic news. But he was surprisingly attentive. Maybe Jo really _was_ just as interesting as he. In her own, human, way.

Sergeant Benton ventured into the halls after a while.

"Er, Doctor. We're going to need Miss Grant for...er...something important...right about now."

Jo's lips snapped shut. Her eyes were the only things that betrayed her disappointment. The Doctor noticed.

"We'll be along soon Sergeant. Just, keep the cake warm alright?" he said. Benton nodded and turned on his heels, heading back to the laboratory with news on his tongue that would not make Captain Yates (party planner extraordinaire) very happy.

"Cake?" asked Jo. Her glowing smile returned instantly, "you_ did _remember my birthday!"

"No...I didn't," replied the Doctor, truthfully. "But I will do my best to make it a memorable one."

He stood awkwardly in the confined space and gave her his hand. She pulled herself up using his weight and slipped her arm into his.

"This way Jo," said the Doctor. He bit his lip suddenly, remembering that he had forgotten something vital. Again.

"I'm sorry I didn't get you a present my dear."

"That's alright. I think you _did_," observed Jo, holding out the coin with her free hand. She flashed it so that its copper surface gleamed in the noon light, "no one's ever given a penny for _my _thoughts before. It's the sweetest thing I've ever gotten. Thank you."

The Doctor furrowed his brow, trying to figure it out. He sighed, attributing it to a 'human thing'.

"Well, whatever the case. Happy Birthday Miss Grant."

"Yes," declared Jo. "It _is_, isn't it?"


End file.
